Dear Colleagues,

We are saddened to learn of the recent transition of Dr. Alan Sorkin who served as chair of the Department of Economics for 31 years. Dr. Sorkin passed away on Friday, August 19, 2022 at home surrounded by his family after a long battle with an illness. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones and we know that many UMBC community members will mourn his loss. 

Dr. Sorkin joined the UMBC Economics Department in 1974 upon completing his undergraduate and doctorate in Economics at Johns Hopkins University. Prior to UMBC, he also spent two years with the Brookings Institution and five years with the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins. Under his leadership, the UMBC Economics Department more than doubled the number of faculty and student majors. The Department also introduced its Financial Economics B.S. and its M.A. in Economic Policy Analysis. He retired from UMBC and became Professor Emeritus in 2006.

His scholarly expertise focused on global public health but he also published innovative monographs in other areas of applied economics. He published twelve books and eight co-edited volumes. In addition to his books on health economics, the titles of his other books include Monetary and Fiscal Policy and Business Cycles in the Modern Era, Economic Aspects of Natural Hazards, Education, Unemployment and Economic Growth, and The Urban American Indian. His numerous contributions were recognized with the Heritage Award by the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University in 2019. 

After his retirement in 2006, Alan still returned regularly to the UMBC campus to visit and lunch with faculty colleagues up until the 2020 pandemic.  Economics Department Chair David Mitch recalls that during his visits Alan would frequently inquire about current department issues. Among his numerous non-academic interests, Alan was an avid coin collector. His presence will certainly be missed.  

A visitation will be held at Schimunek Funeral Home, 9705 Belair Rd, Nottingham, MD on Friday, August 26, 2022 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Another brief visitation will be held Saturday, August 27, 2022 from 9 AM to 9:30 AM at St. Michael Lutheran Church Perry Hall, 9534 Belair Road, Nottingham, MD 21236. Funeral services will begin at 9:30 AM, followed by interment at Highview Memorial Gardens, 3433 Fallston Rd, Fallston, MD 21047. The website for the funeral home is Schimunek Funeral Home | Funeral & Cremation (dignitymemorial.com).
 
Contributions may be made in his memory to Harford County Public Library Harford County Public Library (hcplonline.org) or to Fallston Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Company Donations – Fallston Fire Company (fvfac.org).

Kimberly R. Moffitt, Dean

College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

France-Merrick Director of the H. Furlong Baldwin Library

Summary

UMBC has earned a STARS Gold rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education. UMBC previously held a STARS Silver rating (02/2020 - 07/2022). 

UMBC’s STARS report is publicly available on the STARS website:

https://reports.aashe.org/institutions/university-of-maryland-baltimore-county-md/report/2022-07-26/

With more than 900 participants in 40 countries, AASHE’s STARS program is the most widely recognized framework in the world for publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college or university’s sustainability performance. Participants report achievements in five overall areas: 

1) Academics 

2) Engagement

3) Operations

4) Planning and Administration

5) Innovation and Leadership.

“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts,” said AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. “UMBC has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS Gold Rating and is to be congratulated for their efforts.”

Unlike other rating or ranking systems, this program is open to all institutions of higher education, and the criteria that determine a STARS rating are transparent and accessible to anyone. Because STARS is a program based on credits earned, it allows for both internal comparisons as well as comparisons with similar institutions.

 About AASHE:

AASHE is an association of colleges and universities that are working to create a sustainable future. AASHE’s mission is to empower higher education to lead the sustainability transformation.  It provides resources, professional development and a network of support to enable institutions of higher education to model and advance sustainability in everything they do, from governance and operations to education and research. For more information about AASHE, visit www.aashe.org.

For more information about the STARS program, visit stars.aashe.org.

Dear Colleagues,

We are saddened to learn of the recent transition of Dr. Alan Sorkin who served as chair of the Department of Economics for 31 years. Dr. Sorkin passed away on Friday, August 19, 2022 at home surrounded by his family after a long battle with an illness. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones and we know that many UMBC community members will mourn his loss. 

Dr. Sorkin joined the UMBC Economics Department in 1974 upon completing his undergraduate and doctorate in Economics at Johns Hopkins University. Prior to UMBC, he also spent two years with the Brookings Institution and five years with the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins. Under his leadership, the UMBC Economics Department more than doubled the number of faculty and student majors. The Department also introduced its Financial Economics B.S. and its M.A. in Economic Policy Analysis. He retired from UMBC and became Professor Emeritus in 2006.

His scholarly expertise focused on global public health but he also published innovative monographs in other areas of applied economics. He published twelve books and eight co-edited volumes. In addition to his books on health economics, the titles of his other books include Monetary and Fiscal Policy and Business Cycles in the Modern Era, Economic Aspects of Natural Hazards, Education, Unemployment and Economic Growth, and The Urban American Indian. His numerous contributions were recognized with the Heritage Award by the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University in 2019. 

After his retirement in 2006, Alan still returned regularly to the UMBC campus to visit and lunch with faculty colleagues up until the 2020 pandemic.  Economics Department Chair David Mitch recalls that during his visits Alan would frequently inquire about current department issues. Among his numerous non-academic interests, Alan was an avid coin collector. His presence will certainly be missed.  

A visitation will be held at Schimunek Funeral Home, 9705 Belair Rd, Nottingham, MD on Friday, August 26, 2022 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Another brief visitation will be held Saturday, August 27, 2022 from 9 AM to 9:30 AM at St. Michael Lutheran Church Perry Hall, 9534 Belair Road, Nottingham, MD 21236. Funeral services will begin at 9:30 AM, followed by interment at Highview Memorial Gardens, 3433 Fallston Rd, Fallston, MD 21047. The website for the funeral home is Schimunek Funeral Home | Funeral & Cremation (dignitymemorial.com).
 
Contributions may be made in his memory to Harford County Public Library Harford County Public Library (hcplonline.org) or to Fallston Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Company Donations - Fallston Fire Company (fvfac.org).

Kimberly R. Moffitt, Dean